Abstract: A device for filtering an electrically insulative and thermally conductive medium includes at least one heater immersed in the liquid medium and at least one solid particle filter immersed in and permeable to the liquid medium. The immersed filter is located in a natural convection current of the liquid medium.

Abstract: A voltage lowering device includes at least one pair of forced commutation single-phase rectifiers connected to secondary windings of a main traction transformer. The power drawn from a direct current mains power supply passes through the main traction transformer and is recovered at a secondary winding by means of a forced commutation single-phase rectifier operating as a voltage increasing controlled rectifier. The other forced commutation single-phase rectifiers operate as synchronous voltage inverters. An asynchronous traction system supplied by a single-phase mains power supply includes a voltage lowering device as previously described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apparatus for locating a vehicle V travelling along propagation means P. An object of the apparatus of the invention is to determine the position of the vehicle V, i.e. to determine the distance D between the vehicle V and a given point along the propagation means P. Application in particular to rail transport.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semi-active damper controlled by a control circuit including a direct control loop made up of an inverse model of the damper. The inverse model of the damper determines an ideal value for an electrical current i.sub.th for controlling a compression controlled-restriction valve and an expansion controlled-restriction valve on the basis of a measured value for a relative speed y between the two ends of the damper and on the basis of a force reference value Fc. The semi-active damper of the invention is applicable as a transverse secondary suspension for a passenger rail vehicle.

Abstract: Power-supply apparatus for powering a control circuit for controlling a power switch component, the apparatus powering said circuit from the voltage across the terminals of the component in the off state, and including an energy-storage capacitor, said apparatus further including means for charging said energy-storage capacitor during the periods in which said component is on.

Abstract: A multilevel converter including, in particular, a capacitor (C1, C2, . . . , Cn) for each of its cells. The capacitors have nominal charge voltages proportional to their respective ranks in the converter. It also includes control means (BT, DA1, . . . , DAn, pe2, . . . , pen) organized to evaluate said voltage of the voltage source (VECn), and whenever it is insufficient, to suspend said nominal operation of the converter (SE) and to act on said switches (T1, T'1; T2; T'2; . . . ; Tn, T'n) in such a manner that initially, while said voltage of the voltage source is being established, it begins by charging all of the capacitors of the converter (C1, C2, . . . , Cn), after which said control means establish said nominal operation of the converter.

Abstract: The invention concerns impact-absorber devices, an impact-absorption method, and a framework and a vehicle including such impact-absorber devices. According to the invention, the impact-absorber device comprises at least one longitudinal member absorbing by deformation the energy generated by an impact in a given direction, which member is made from thin plate, having a generally triangular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the direction of impact. Applications to rail vehicles, for example.

Abstract: A bogie frame constituted by first and second sole-bars, first, second, third, and fourth half-cross-members, first and second auxiliary sole-bars, first and second brake supports, first and second drive fastenings, and first and second shock absorber supports, wherein:said elements are one-piece elements; andsaid one-piece elements are made of a material containing, for the most part, an aluminum alloy.

Abstract: An apparatus for preventing sudden changes of pressure in an air conditioned or ventilated vehicle, the vehicle comprising: an inlet orifice (3) for outside air and an outlet orifice (5) for inside air, the inlet orifice being connected to an intake duct (2) directing the air taken in to an air conditioning or ventilation system, the outlet orifice being connected to an exhaust duct (4) exhausting the inside air to the outside; shutter means (6, 7) for the intake and exhaust ducts (2, 4); a control member (14) receiving signals from the detector; and detector means (16, 17) for detecting the pressure outside the vehicle Po and the pressure inside the vehicle Pi and delivering signals representative of the pressure wave.

Abstract: A double-decker railcar with continuous circulation on the upper deck and access from a high platform has at least one access door to the railcar the bottom of which is at the level of the high platform. An intermediate access landing to the railcar is level with the bottom of the access door inside the railcar. An access stairway to the upper deck runs from the intermediate landing and an access stairway to the lower deck also runs from the intermediate landing. A stairwell contains at least parts of the access stairway to the lower deck, the intermediate landing and the access stairway to the upper deck. A floor of the upper deck is truncated in a given area delimiting the stairwell at the level of the upper deck. The floor of the upper deck defines a continuous plane to enable continuous circulation on the upper deck.

Abstract: A system for powering a multicurrent locomotive having 2N motors where N is greater than or equal to 2, the system comprising 2N pairs of voltage converters respectively associated with the 2N motors, each motor M.sub.i being powered by means of an inverter connected to the terminals of a parallel capacitor. When the locomotive is powered with AC, then each of the pairs forms a 4-quadrant converter in which the two portions are implemented by the secondary winding of a transformer whose primary winding is connected directly to the terminals of the AC power supply. When the locomotive is powered with DC, the switches serve to use the voltage converters either as voltage-lowering choppers or as voltage-raising choppers. The power supply system is designed in such a manner that in the event of a converter or an inverter failing, it suffices to isolate the failed element to conserve the functions that remain.

Abstract: Multimaterial disk for high-energy braking comprising at least one ceramic or cermet facing.

Abstract: An articulated coupling is effected between two vehicles A and B supported on a common bogey between the vehicles. The coupling includes a toroidal part connected to one of the vehicles A and a support part connected to the other vehicle B. A cylindrical pivot is fixed on a soleplate and engaged in a cylindrical bore. A toroidal coupling element is fixed on the soleplate and provides articulated coupling between the soleplate and the toroidal part. An energy absorption system is disposed between first or second cylindrical outside surfaces of the toroidal part and the facing surface of the support part. A shear system holding the support part secured to a longitudinal translation system which is fixed to a support arm connected to the other vehicle shears to prevent damage to the toroidal coupling element, with excessive force being absorbed by the energy absorption system. The present invention is also directed to a method of absorbing energy between two vehicles.

Abstract: A multimaterial disk for high-energy braking comprises an assembly of various flanges. They comprise, in succession, a central flange and on either side of the central flange thermal barriers and outer flanges made up of a substrate faced on one side with a ceramic or cermet type facing.

Abstract: An initialization beacon for initializing a stationary vehicle, particularly for assisting the driving, operation, and maintenance of the stationary vehicle, comprises superposing cross-over structures Si, whereby each cross-over structure is made from a first electrical cable Ci1 and a second electrical cable Ci2. The first electrical cable Ci1, which mutually parallels with the second electrical cable over most of its length, crosses over the second electrical cable Ci2 to form a succession of magnetic nodes N. The magnetic nodes of each of the superposed cross-over structure form magnetic nodes Nij in the superposed cross-over structures. The magnetic nodes NiJ are staggered in a non-overlapping fashion according to a space period in each of the superposed cross-over structures. Pairs Pmn of the superposed cross-over structure Si can be successively powered at a clock frequency FH and a data frequency FD.

Abstract: The invention concerns impact-absorber devices, an impact-absorption method, and a framework and a vehicle including such impact-absorber devices. According to the invention, the impact-absorber device comprises at least one longitudinal member absorbing by deformation the energy generated by an impact in a given direction, which member is made from thin plate, having a generally triangular cross-section in a plane perpendicular to the direction of impact. Applications to rail vehicles, for example.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shutter device for shutting off a distribution duct, said device being wherein it is composed of at least one longitudinally-extending means that is/are inflatable. The present invention also relates to use of longitudinally-extending inflatable means to constitute a shutter device. The present invention also relates to a ventilation and air-conditioning installation including such a shutter device.

Abstract: A method for making a lamination insulated by iron-manganese phosphate comprises the following operations:1. The lamination is treated with an acid or basic medium to eliminate the surface layer of the lamination that contains excess silicon and aluminum.2. The lamination is rinsed.3. The lamination is brought into contact with a solution of phosphoric acid containing iron phosphate and manganese phosphate for sufficient time to obtain an insulative layer of the required thickness.

Abstract: A circuit for regulating the air conditioning of premises that are stationary or mobile, the premises being air conditioned by means of a conditioning unit controlled by a corrector that receives on its inputs both a reference temperature magnitude and a magnitude representative of the temperature of the premises, the circuit including a member for non-linear and non-stationary simulation of the assembly constituted by the conditioning unit and by the premises, and wherein the corrector comprises means for handling saturation in such a manner as to take account of amplitude limitation in the signal for controlling the process and the model of the process. The invention is particularly applicable to regulating the air conditioning of rail vehicles.

Abstract: An active filter for filtering the current and optionally improving the power factor of a single-phase overhead contact wire energized locomotive includes an arrangement for collecting the voltage supplied by the overhead contact wire and for distributing voltages to the traction equipment and auxiliary equipment of the locomotive. It also includes two or more forced switching mode bridge circuits connected in series on the alternating current side and fed with respective independent direct current voltages. A control system forces switching of the bridge circuits to produce an alternating current on the single-phase side from different voltage levels resulting from combination of the direct current voltages from the bridge circuits. This current is fed to the collecting and distributing arrangement to compensate the harmonic frequencies generated and optionally the reactive power consumed by the traction equipment and the auxiliary equipment and retransmitted to the overhead contact wire.